BUFFALO, NY (WBEN) - Governor Andrew Cuomo announced in Buffalo on Tuesday that New York State will invest approximately $50 million in Buffalo's East Side.
The funding is for the following according to the governor's office.
- MLK Park District ($6.6 million) - Funding will be used for park restoration and upgrades as well as restoration of the Museum's formal front stairway to be used for community programming.
- Broadway Market ($4 million) - Funding will provide for a master plan and capital investment fund to support more sustainable, year-round operations as a neighborhood food source, as well as provide neighborhood linkages with the Buffalo Central Terminal and other neighborhood assets.
- Community Solar Array at Northland ($2 million) - Funds will provide for the building of a solar array at 683 Northland Ave., which will be competitively solicited for development as part of the operation of a community micro-grid, and to develop hands-on workforce training opportunities in solar specialties in conjunction with the Northland Workforce Training Center (also located at 683 Northland Ave.)
- Michigan Street African American Heritage Corridor ($7 million) - Will provide funding for capital improvements to anchor organizations in the corridor including the Colored Musicians Club, Michigan Street Baptist Church, the Nash House Museum, and WUFO Black Radio History Collective, as well as future funding to be determined through a master management and joint operations plan.
- Future Projects Funding ($12.6 million) that will support:
- Creation of an East Side Main Streets Grant Program, expanding the Buffalo Main Streets program to provide larger funding for corridor areas over a longer period, to be used for capital improvements by small businesses in the corridors to conduct exterior and interior building upgrades. This program will also be more flexible and address prior barriers to participation experienced by several small businesses in the existing Main Streets programs for other corridors;
- Creation of a Community-Based Real Estate Development Training Program that can empower community members with the skills and know-how to plan for and implement a development or infill project on their own properties, fostering entrepreneurial spirit and creativity and better ensuring that land and buildings along the East Side corridors are improved in manner driven by the community. The program will include funding to provide capital grants to building owners who complete the training and mentoring to be used in the renovation and reuse of their properties; and A Building Preservation Fund to conduct preventative maintenance and near-term stabilization of at-risk historic buildings to preserve them for private reinvestment/reuse in the longer term. Program parameters are being established and funding will be provided to entities demonstrating a strong intent and plan to restore a historic property, and to avoid funding entities practicing purposeful "demolition by neglect" or similar bad practices like property tax delinquency.
- Direct Project Funding ($7.4 million) - Capital funding to businesses and individuals for projects, ensuring revitalization on the East Side is driven by the community. Proposed projects include funding for building out of commercial spaces in mixed-use buildings, restoration and reuse of historic structures, and funding set aside for future projects.
- Infrastructure Investment ($10 million) - Will provide the City of Buffalo with funding for street improvements—specifically to be used only in the four corridors and target areas—that complement ESD's investments and leverage state/federal transportation funds wherever possible
"In many ways, the sweetest success is seeing people who have been left behind for too long and places that have been left behind for too long now sharing in that success and reaching a level we've never reached before," Cuomo said.
The governor did not answer any questions from local reporters after his announcement.
Howard Zemsky of Empire State Development said the investments will go towards renovations of buildings and housing plus infrastructure.
Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz and Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown among those who praised the investment into the community.
"I like the fact that there will be direct investments in projects where you will see buildings be restored," Brown said. "You will see new things go up. When you look at the east side, look at it today. When you look at it two years from now...you will not recognize parts of the east side bcause the transformation will be quite evident."
